North West Archives - Page 55 of 128

19May

By Philip EdwardsNo Comments

North West

A Chorus Line – Pendleton College

Many choreographers have failed in their attempt to put dance into the feet of this reviewer. It makes it all the more interesting to see how it all works and admire the speed with which proper dancers understand the language and translate it into movement. A skill I will never have, but this is the main premise of this 1975 musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward Kleban. Of course, it is about much more than that and the show unfolds by telling the life stories of the auditionees. But first, life must imitate art and the students of Pendleton College will also have auditioned like the characters they now portray. Director Ian Bennett has put together a largely talented cast. He has also changed some of the narrative and characters to suit his cast and the ch...

A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction – Shakespeare North Playhouse

18May

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction – Shakespeare North Playhouse

For a play where its most significant feature is being ‘off the grid’, using self-generated power and a touch of candlelight, the Playhouse, styled as a mini-Globe with slightly better seating, seems like the perfect setting for it. Tonight’s show, written by Miranda Rose Hall, and directed by Nathan Powell is an incredibly clever and fresh concept. The play tours, but not the people - everyone involved is from the local area. The strip lighting and sound that encompasses the stage is produced from the efforts of four very hardy onstage cyclists, with a digital display that shows the wattage they are generating. It’s a highly creative and fascinating experiment in sustainable theatre. The conceit is that one of the play’s actors has suffered a family emergency – her mother is dyin...

The SpongeBob Musical – Opera House, Manchester

18May

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

The SpongeBob Musical – Opera House, Manchester

SpongeBob SquarePants- the Nickelodeon sensation beloved across the world- made his Broadway debut in 2017. For the first time, the residents of Bikini Bottom are shipping their musical to the UK, promising seafaring silliness for fans both old and new. The impending eruption of an underwater volcano threatens to wipe out SpongeBob’s hometown: while he sets out to save the day, the other citizens plan an evacuation fundraising concert. Plot thinness is no issue here as a splendidly diverse cast puts everything into embodying their characters, making every scene an immersive joy. Anyone who has seen the show will appreciate the vast inclusion of its treasured sea creatures; Mrs Puff (Eloise Davies), Larry the Lobster (Theo Reece), Old Man Jenkins (Reece Kerridge) and Gary the Snail al...

No Pay? No Way! – Royal Exchange Theatre

18May

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

No Pay? No Way! – Royal Exchange Theatre

There is an extremely fine line between success and failure when producing a farce. When done badly, it can quickly degenerate into a series of mistimed entrances and exits with improbable scenarios and absurd coincidences that leave the audience confused and bored. Fortunately, Director Bryony Shanahan knows exactly what she is doing, and with ‘No Pay? No Way!’ has produced a sparklingly funny version of this 1974 play by veteran political writers Dario Fo and Franca Rame. Antonia (Samantha Power) has just nipped to the local supermarket to pick up the weekly shopping, where she finds herself in the middle of a riotous protest following the doubling in price of food and groceries. She takes advantage of the situation to ‘liberate’ some groceries and persuades her friend Margherita (Kat...

18May

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

Sweeney Todd – Northwich Memorial Court

Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. After a warm welcome from the team at KMTC (Knutsford Musical Theatre Company) this is exactly what I did this evening. The auditorium has been transformed to take you into the creepy, dark, eerie world of Sweeney Todd, with blood splattered posters all over the walls, razors hanging from the ceiling above us and sounds from the streets of London being played to transport us into this dark story of revenge and love. Director Ben Ireson has taken on a huge task bringing this piece to life and has done a fantastic job, especially with changing the space to include an immersive area and the brilliant use of such a large set piece that takes over the centre of the stage. The immersive section has numerous cast members tr...

16May

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

SHEWOLVES – Shakespeare North Playhouse

A call to action for the youth of today who may feel unseen, unheard and misunderstood. An uplifting coming-of-age comedy lovingly created for and made in collaboration with, young people. Derby teenagers Priya (Gurjot Dhaliwal) and Lou (Harriet Waters), the self-entitled Shewolves, are females surviving in the wild. After donning their retro ski suits, they attempt to break free and run away together from the constraints of their school and the disdain with their home lives, to find some freedom in the remoteness of the Peak District until Lou’s creative 3D printer design gets them hunted down. An unlikely friendship forms between the two girls both from different backgrounds, with Lou more financially privileged than Priya. Priya play’s up to her lack of...

Murder at Cadberry Manor – Hope Street Theatre

12May

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Murder at Cadberry Manor – Hope Street Theatre

A murder has taken place at the Cadberry Manor in Liverpool’s Hope Street Theatre. A 4am production directed by Phil Halfpenny. I was excited to see this show as it was completely sold out and of course like most people I do love a bit of true crime. The story consists of Detective Harrie Bo (Rafaela Dias) arrived at the scene to investigate the murder of Toby Le Rone (Phil Halfpenny) who at the time was hosting a dinner party which included guests such as his son Captain Robert Le Rone (Sab Muthusamy), his ex-wife Veronica Viscount (Kristin Jaap), Dr Whispa (Adam Titchmarsh), Friar Tuckshop (Tristan Harper), Felicity Flake (Rosie Bennett) Lord and Lady Thornton (Alan Kenny and Lisa Morgan). They were all enjoying a few social wines when Tony Le Rone announces a change to his last will ...

11May

By Louise KershawNo Comments

North West

Stars – Contact Theatre

Performed by one woman and a live DJ, this Afrofuturistic Space Odyssey uses music, drama and projected animations to tell us the story of a woman in search of her lost orgasm. Sprinkled with dustings of African mythology and folklore, this queer, feminist rallying call took the audience on a journey which explored desire, touch and reclaiming your pleasure. We meet Mrs (Debra Michaels), an elderly woman looking back with some frustration that her orgasm has never really emerged, and she does not know where to find it. Naturally, she embarks on a space odyssey to remedy the situation. She tells the story of her disappointing marriage to a disappointing man and the opportunities that have slipped by her or never materialized. She experiences rejection and judgement from the memb...

11May

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

RENT – The Brindley Theatre

Directed and Choreographed by Donna Dale, Assistant Director Charlotte Allmand, Assistant Choreographer John Sprung-Murphy and Musical Director Craig Price have produced the latest D&S Production of ‘Rent’. Set in the East Village of New York City, 'Rent' is about falling in love, finding your voice, and living for today. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, 'Rent' has become a pop culture phenomenon. 'Rent' follows a year in the life of a group of penniless young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. Johnathon Larson’s 1996 rock musical focus is around the interconnected lives of three couples: Roger (Elliott Tutt) and Mimi (Sara Haynes), Maureen (Francesca Forbes...

10May

By Grace AnnabelNo Comments

North West

Annie – Regent Theatre

Annie, a classic musical adaptation much loved by global audiences. I had the privilege of watching the musical adaptation of this classic film on its UK Tour, in the large-scale Stoke Regent Stage. With countless revivals, I was intrigued to see how this show has evolved and adapted since the last time I watched this production, many years ago. The tone was set from the beginning, by our 7 main orphanage residents rushing onto stage, before the show had even begun, immersing our audience in their harsh reality from the outset and creating an electric build-up within the theatre. With direction from Nikolai Foster and choreography from Nick Winston, I knew before the show begun, that we were in the comfortable hands of true professionals. Having been many years since visiting the gra...